“A Christmas Story” added to National Film Registry, joining American comedy movies now in a league of their own

Just in time for its annual Christmas Day marathon TV airing, A Christmas Story has joined the illustrious list of movies added to the National Film Registry, a division of the Library of Congress.

“These films are not selected as the best American films of all time, but rather as works of enduring importance to American culture,” Librarian of Congress James M. Billington said in a statement released Wednesday morning. “They reflect who we are as a people and as a nation.”

And in an equally symbolic move, the Registry also has added A League of Their Own to its official movie collection to be preserved by the United States.

Congress established the Registry with the 1988 National Film Preservation Act, and up to 25 films may be added each year in an effort “to save the American film heritage.” With today’s announcement, there now are 600 films in the registry. To be eligible for inclusion, a movie must be at least 10 years old and be “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Public recommendations are welcomed via email to: dross@loc.gov. Please include the date of the film nominated, and number your recommendations. A list of films not yet included in the Registry may be found here.

How many comedy films are now in a league of their own, according to our government?

In alphabetical order…

  • Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
  • Adam’s Rib (1949)
  • Airplane! (1980)
  • American Graffiti (1973)
  • Annie Hall (1977)
  • The Apartment (1960)
  • Back to the Future (1985)
  • Blazing Saddles (1974)
  • Born Yesterday (1950)
  • Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
  • Bringing Up Baby (1938)
  • A Christmas Story (1983)
  • City Lights (1931)
  • The Court Jester (1955)
  • Dr. Strangelove, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying About the Bomb (1964)
  • Duck Soup (1933)
  • Fargo (1996)
  • Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
  • The Front Page (1931)
  • The General (1927)
  • Gigi (1958)
  • The Gold Rush (1925)
  • The Graduate (1967)
  • The Great Dictator (1940)
  • Groundhog Day (1993)
  • Harold and Maude (1972)
  • His Girl Friday (1940)
  • It Happened One Night (1934)
  • It’s A Gift (1934)
  • The Kid (1921)
  • The Lady Eve (1941)
  • A League of Their Own (1992)
  • M*A*S*H (1970)
  • Mabel’s Blunder (1914)
  • Manhattan (1979)
  • The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944)
  • Modern Times (1936)
  • The Muppet Movie (1979)
  • My Man Godfrey (1936)
  • National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)
  • A Night at the Opera (1935)
  • Ninotchka (1939)
  • The Nutty Professor (1963)
  • The Philadelphia Story (1940)
  • The Pink Panther (1963)
  • The Poor Little Rich Girl (1917)
  • Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor (1936)
  • Porky in Wackyland (1938)
  • The Producers (1968)
  • Punch Drunks (1934) (The Three Stooges short)
  • Pups is Pups (1930) (Our Gang/Little Rascals)
  • Quasi at the Quackadero (1975)
  • Rip Van Winkle (1896)
  • Road to Morocco (1942)
  • The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
  • Roman Holiday (1953)
  • Sabrina (1954)
  • Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954)
  • She Done Him Wrong (1933)
  • Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
  • Show Boat (1936)
  • Show People (1928)
  • Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
  • Slacker (1991)
  • Some Like it Hot (1959)
  • Sons of the Desert (1933) (Laurel and Hardy)
  • Steamboat Willie (1928) (Mickey Mouse)
  • The Sting (1973)
  • Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
  • There It Is (1928)
  • The Thin Man (1934)
  • This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
  • The Three Little Pigs (1933)
  • To Be Or Not To Be (1942)
  • Tootsie (1982)
  • Top Hat (1935)
  • Toy Story (1995)
  • Trouble in Paradise (1932)
  • What’s Opera, Doc? (1957)
  • Woman of the Year (1942)
  • Young Frankenstein (1974)

Compare this list of 80 comedy films and counting with the so-called “100 funniest movies of all time” list put together by the AFI (American Film Institute) back in 2000. In the past 12 years, there are still more than a few of the AFI’s top comedy movies not making the cut at the National Film Registry.

Which ones do you think should be preserved to represent our cinematic history and culture for future generations?

 

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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